Shoe fitting index



Feb. 4, 1936. A. G. BARTSCHI ET AL SHOE FITTING INDEX Filed Feb. 25,1935 N VEN TORS, lie/VOL 0 6, 542 TECH/ 5255571 HUFF/NE &

Patented Feb, 4, 1936 UNITED STATES SHOE FITTING INDEX Arnold G.Bartschi, Oakmont, and Robert L.

Hufiine, Wynnewood, Pa., assignors to J. Edwards & Co., Philadelphia,Pa., a co poration of Pennsylvania Application February 25, 1935, SerialNo. 8,104

5 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe fitting index, and has for an object toprovide means cooperating with the X-ray fitting of shoes fordetermining with accuracy the proper fit.

It is well known that in the modern fitting of shoes, X-rays areemployed, and by their assistance, the position of the foot within theshoe accurately determinable. This has added greatly to the properfitting of shoes, but requires for its efiicient employment, highlyspecialized operatives. The present invention is directed to providingthe shoe with such means for cooperating with the X-ray-fitting as toenable less skilled operators to successfully fit the foot.

At the present time shoes are made upon variously contoured vmachinesfor the purpose of fitting various feet, and the determination of thecorrect last for the foot is onerequiring great accuracy.

According to the present invention, an index is placed in or on the shoesole/constructed of material which, in conjunction with X-rays, will bedifferentiated from the appearance of the foot structure or the shoestructure, and the index will point to or locate some particularimportant part or feature of the anatomical structure of the foot,whereby the proper positioning of the foot relative to the contour ofthe shoe will be assured.

The index may be of any material which will show contrast to the footand shoe structure, but at the present time, seems desirable that itshall be of material substantially opaque to X-rays, such for instanceas sheet lead or vulcanized rubber, but without in any way limiting theinvention to such materials.

The invention, therefore, comprises employing some marker or pointerembedded in or placed upon the sole of the shoe, and indicating someexact location for the positioning of anatomical parts of the foot, toinsure correct fitting of the foot. This may take the form of a pointerwhich would indicate some prominent anatomical part or other form,without limitation.

The drawing illustrates several embodiments of the invention and theviews therein are as follows:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe with the sole bent backwardly,showing an index embedded within the sole immediately under the outersole,

Figure 2 is a similar perspective view showing the indexplaced withinthe sole, but against the insole,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an index of different type,

Figure l is a perspective view of one form of index,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another form of index,

Figure 6 is a schematic view of the anatomical structure of a footemploying the index shown at Figure 4, and

Figure '7 is a schematic view showing the anatomical structure of thefoot in association with an index, as shown at Figure 5.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

- It is well known that certain materials, among which are lead andvulcanized rubber, are practically opaque to X-rays, and it has beenfound possible, therefore, to employ an index of some such materialembedded in or associated withv the sole of the shoe, which will, inassociation with X-rays, determine the exact positioning of the footrelative to the shoe by indicating whether or not the bony structure ofthe foot has been properly placed.

As shown at Figure 1, an index I is placed within the sole immediatelybetween the outer.

sole H and a. filler l2. As shown at Figure 2, the same index is placednext to the insole I3 a part of the interlaying lamina being shown cutand rolled back for the purpose of exhibiting the index. As shown atFigure 6, this index I0 is properly positioned in the shoe to indicatethat part shown at H, which is designed and contoured to accommodate theball joint of the foot, that is to say, the articulation of the firstmetatarsal with the phlanges of the great toe.

While this joint is of such a nature as to insure the proper fitting ofthe shoe when properly positioned, it is, of course, obvious that theindex may point out other features of the bony structure of the footwith equal or acceptable results.

As shown at Figure 3, the index I is shown of arcuate form and issimilarly positioned relative to the sole of the shoe, so far as itsbeing embedded therein or applied thereto. This arcuate index isintended to properly locate the anterior metatarsal arch of the foot, asindicated at Figure 7.

with such index, such index to be made of any,

appropriate or desirable material now known or hereinafter developed,which will contrast with parts or the foot structure or shoe structurewhen subjected to X-rays.

Of course, the shoe fitting index illustrated may be modified andchanged "in various ways without departing from the invention herein setforth and hereinafter claimed.

We claim:--

1. The combination of a shoe including a sole. a narrow, transverselyextending index strip embedded in the sole of the shoe, said index beingcomposed of material visibly diflerentiated from foot and shoe structureunder the action 01' X-rays, said index underlying the articulation ofthe first metatarsal and proximate phalange of the great toe.

2. The combination 0! a shoe including 'a sole, an index embedded in thesole, said index being composed of material opaque to X-rays andpositioned to underlie the proper location of the aoaasus of a metallicindex member embedded in the sole 10 and positioned to underlie theproper location of the articulation oi. the first metatarsal andproximate phalange of one of the toes.

5. The combination of a shoe including a sole.

of an index member comprising a narrow trans- 5 versely extendingmetallic strip embedded in the sole and positioned to underlie theproper location of the articulation of the first metatarsal andproximate phalange of one of the toes.

ARNOLD G. BARTSCHI. ROBERT L. HUFE'INE.

